Keralites in Dubai ask govt for online head count

Dubai: Keralites living in the Gulf region appealed to the Kerala government to use online means to register people from the state living abroad.

The Non-Resident Keralite (NRKs) survey, which began on May1 in Kerala along with the sixth economic census of the Central Statistical Organisation, will cover the entire household across the state to enumerate the exact number of people working abroad and also the expatriates.

In a statement released by Pravasi Bandhu Welfare Trust, its Chairman K V Shamsudheen said that a large number of Keralites live with their family members abroad and their houses back home are locked.
"There will not be any one available in their house to give the data when enumerators visit. Only solution is to start a portal and request NRKs living abroad with family to enter their data on line," the statement said.

According to Shamsudheen, the government must publish the basic information required to give online date of NRKs - like panchayat, municipality, corporation name, ward number, house number, etc.

The trust hailed the fact that Kerala government is the first state making a bid to get head count of approximately 2.2 million Non Resident Keralites working abroad.
"This census also will not give hundred percent correct figure of number of NRKs working abroad. More than 10 percent of NRKs are living abroad with family. There are many schools with Kerala syllabus with thousands of students" said the statement.

It added that in all other Indian schools also have a large number of NRK students. This indicates that many NRKs are living abroad with family.